ATTENTION: This story contains some major spoilers and updates are sporadic.

Disclaimer: If I owned it it would be on Adult Swim. And we'd get episodes centered around one or more of the characters doing things like getting drunk and bending while inebriated... Yeah, I'm glad I don't own it either. I apologize for my bad humor. Oh... and I don't own Jem either, I doubt anyone does.

----

L U S T
2. Sexual desire or appetite.

"Come on closer
I wanna show you
What I'd like to do
You sit back now
Just relax now
I'll take care of you"
~Come On Closer, Jem

Big ears. It wasn't a description that brought flattering images to her mind. The first thing she thought of was an elephant, in fact. And then... by the spirits - what if there was hair protruding from his ears?

She felt like crying.

Her handsome prince had been replaced by a hairy old cad with freakishly large ears.

One day the anxiety became too much and Meng had practically burst into one of Aunt Wu's palm reading sessions, tears streaking down her face. And with a voice far higher in pitch than what should be possible, had desperately begged that she not be destined to wed an ugly, hairy, old man. Wu had been sympathetic, the elderly gentleman she was predicting a future of prosperous hair growth for had not been.

The fortuneteller had gently led her young assistant to sit on a cushion, casually dismissing the affronted geezer. A warm pot of ginseng tea was prepared and Meng, sufficiently calmed but hiccuping, had confessed her fears to her kindly mentor. Wu had laughed - not unkindly - and had shown Meng to the window. There she proceeded to point out several villagers with large ears, all of them nowhere near hideous. And so Meng's fears were put to rest and her dashing prince (his ears slightly larger than before) had returned to haunt her daydreams.

And then he had arrived. He was handsome. He was funny. He was an Airbender, of all things! And - most importantly - he had large ears (well, his Water Tribe friend did too but Meng was sure he was the one for her).

"So what's your name?" she had inquired in as seductive a tone as she could manage.

"Aang," he responded quietly. Meng couldn't help but take a small thrill at the sound of his voice, a thrill that was as much physical as emotional. It was light, cheerful and put her in mind of the playful breezes that caressed her face like a loving hand during the balmy summer months. Meng couldn't help but wonder how it would feel when he caressed her for real.

There was another reason for her excitement, however.

"That rhymes with Meng!" She could hear the introductions now. 'Hello, I'm Meng and this is my husband, Aang.' And then his voice: 'Hi, I'm Aang and this my beautiful wife, Meng.'

So great was her excitement that she couldn't help but hint at the cause of her interest. "And you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?" The subtle stress of "pretty" was intentional, he was gorgeous in Meng's opinion.

Aang's tone was not one that suggested intrigue when he replied. "I... guess..." he sounded somewhat confused.

Meng marked that off as a small technicality that could be corrected later, choosing instead to simply be lulled by his wonderful voice. She vowed then that when they were married she would make it a point to listen to him speak during much of the day, the rest of aforesaid days would be spent doing... other things.

Oh, yes... other things. The things she could show him if he gave her the chance (and he would). Aunt Wu had made sure to explain the facts of life to her when she deemed her assistant ready for such... details. Many a night Meng had clutched an open pillow book and learned how to keep her mysterious prince content and under her control. She had even found that pleasure could be given to a man by the ear... the larger the ear the better.

Secretly watching Aunt Wu give Aang his fortune from behind a wooden screen, Meng learned a great many things about this handsome stranger that she had come to love.

He was destined to fight in a battle that would determine the fate of the war and he wasn't even surprised by it. Not only was he great to look at, he was an accomplished hero; what other kind of person would not be shocked to hear that?

And then rather than being boisterous about his own importance he had asked the most humble of questions: "... did it say anything about a girl?" Meng started. He wanted love, he wanted romance, he wanted her. And Meng was plenty happy to offer herself to him, all of herself.